Machine for assembling storage battery plates and separators



July 20, 1943. A D, LUND 2,324,523

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING STORAGE BATTERY PLATES AND SEPARATORS Filed Sept. l5, 1941 '7 SheetS-Sheet l July 20, 1943. A D LUND 2,324,523 v MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING STORAGE BATTERY PLATES AND SEPARATORS Filed Sept. l5, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2o, 1943. A D UND 4 2,324,523

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING STORAGE BATTERY PLATES AND SEPARAIORS Filed Sept. 15, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 /frToff/Y f MACHINE FOR A'ssEMBLTNG STORAGE BATTERY PLATES AND sEPARAToRs A. D. LUND July 20, 1943.

Filed Sept. l5, 1941 '7 Sheets-Thee?, 4

July 20, 1943. A. D. LUND 2,324,523

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING STORAGE BATTERY PLATES AND SEPARATORS Filed Sept. l5, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 j mvg/waff ARTHUR 0. Lu/vo BVMW/@ aTTURN Y Julyi 2o, 11943.

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING STORAGE BA'TTEARY'PLATESAND SEPARAIORS Filed sept. 15, 1941 A. D. LUND 2,324,523

I 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Arron/var July 20, 1943; A. D. UND n 2,324,523

MACHINE FOR ,ASSEMBLING STORAGE BTTERY PLATES AND SEPARATORS Filed sept. 15, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 TTOR/YEY I Patented July 20., .1943

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING STORAGE BATTERY PLATES AND SEPARATORS.

Arthur D. Lund, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Solar Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application September 15, 1941, Serial No. 41|),81 Y

(c1. esi-s4) 11 IClaims.

This invention relates to apparatus for assembling positive and negative plates and separators for storage batteries, and the primary lobject yis to provide practical and eillcient mechanism for positively engaging the plates and separators, lo-4 cated in separate supply stations, and then successively andaccurately transferring them in predetermined order to receiving units where they are grouped in the same relative positions as they will occupy in completed batteries and Will be accumulated until each of the respective assemblies has the desired number of component parts. depending upon the sizes of battery cells in which the groups are to be used. l Heretofore cell units or plate-separator assemblies have been formed principally if not entirely by manual manipulation, the operator selecting plates and separators from separate stacks and grouping them as required, and in other instances the plates are fixed in their proper spaced relationship by being burned to the terminal post l connecting straps, and the operator then completes the unit by inserting the necessary separators edgewise in the spaces between plates.

Such and other manual methods of grouping plates and separators for final battery use are objectionable for several reasons, of whichL may be mentioned the comparatively long time'required, the undependability and inaccuracy of hand methods, and, finally, the relatively greater expense involved.

In addition to the general objectives, rst above set forth, the invention includes numerous and which will be fully set forth in this description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters will be employed to designate like parts throughout the several views, and in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of a machine' embodyingon line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. `5 is a sectional elevation on line 5-5 in Fig. 4. l

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail elevation on line 6-6 in Fig. 2. l

Fig. 'I is a detail elevation, partly in section, on line 1--1 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail elevation of the power transmission unit shown ln Figs. 1 and 2,.4

I. more detailed objects and advantages, all of with a part of the housing and internal mechanism broken away to show other parts as would be seen on section line 8--8 in Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation through the power transmission, as seen on line 9 9 in Fig. 10.

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation on line lll-I0 in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail plan view of one of the supply stations and stripper assembly or feed mechanism, partly in section as on line II--ll in Fig. 12.

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation on line l2l2 in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a cross section elevation on line |3--I3 inFig. 12.

Fig. 14 is an louter end elevation of a stripper unit, as seen from the right in Fig. 12, and with certain parts removed. l

Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the feeder mechanism, as seen on smaller scale at the central part of Fig. 11.

Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation on line |6-I6 in Fig. 15.

Fig.- 17 is a cross section elevation on line Il-ll in Fig. 16.

` tails thereof.

Fig. 21 is a sectional elevation on line 2I`2I in Fig. 20. v

Fig. 22 is an enlarged detail section taken `longitudinally through a portion of the plate stripping device showingthe stripper dog and associated parts as they appear just before the lowermost plate of the supply stack is to be engaged.

' Fig. 23 is a sectional detail on line 23-23 in Fig. 22.

Fig. 24 is a datan plan view of the plate engaging stripper dog and its support, removed from the machine.

Fig. 25 is an end view of the aforementioned stripper dog support or frame. Y

Fig. 26 is a sectional elevation, on line 26-26 in Fig. 27, through various parts of the stripper and plate feed mechanism, this illustration also showing an automatic safety mechanism and its associated circuits. l l

Fig. 27 is an elevation, partly in section on line 21-21 in Fig. 26, but with some parts removed.

Fig. 28 is an enlarged detail plan view illustrating the relative positions of plates and separators assembled on one of the receiving shelves and as they will ultimately be` conveyed therefrom for further processing as a unit, this view showing parts of the shelf unit in section as on lines 28--28 in Figs. 20 and 29.

Fig. 29 is a sectional elevation on line 29-29 in Fig. 28.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of the various machine parts a few observations mon practice, in order to provide space for circulation of the electrolyte, to provide the positive plate side of each separator with spaced parallel ribs extending vertically, thus leaving most of the positive grid plate exposed to the fluid; while the opposite face of the separator is not so ribbed, it preferably having full face contact with the adjacent negative plate. in Figs. 28 and 29, wherein the plate assembly includes positive grid plates P, negative grid plates N, and the separators S, such separators having ribs R on the positive sides only, and under which circumstances it will be seen that each two separators will have their face surfaces reversed although otherwise identical in form and size.

The positive plates P are provided with lugs Ll at one side of the group, subsequently to be connected by the strap of a terminal post (not shown); and, at the other side similar lugs L2 extend from the negative plates N. The grid plates are also provided, at their bottom edges, with short lugs or feet F designed to rest on ribs conventionally formed in the battery case. It is here only necessary to note that the feet of the negative plates are oiset from those of the positive plates (see Fig. 28), thereby forming spaces between the respective rows of feet, a condition utilized in the operation of the machine as will subsequently be described.

It may here further be noted that the height length of the separators S is greater than that of the main body portions of the grid plates P and N so that in the completed assembly, and with all plates resting on the battery casing ribs, the separators extend above the upper edges of the grid plates, which is a desired condition. When here assembling the various plate elements, however, the separators are positioned with marginal portions extending beyond what later becomes the lower edges of the grid plates, as shown at the upper part of Fig. 28, and are removed from the receiving shelves in this condition. The reason .for this is tospace the separators away from the lugs LI and L2 until such lugs have been burned or fused with the respective terminal straps, whereupon the separators can be pushed up into final operative position by merely resting the plate assembly on -a flat support, or inserting it in the battery.

Referring now to the machine proper A designates a heavy cast base having a dished central portion 30 and an outer, annular ledge or circu- This is illustrated Vto the ledge 3| lar rim 3l (Fig. 2). Rigidly secured by bolts 32 is a series of circumferentially spaced, radially disposed frames 33, the outer ends of which support supply stations for the grid plates and separators, and these frames also carry the plate transfer mechanisms. As will presently be described it is necessary that the transfer mechanisms operate at successively graduated levels, and in order to utilize otherwise identical frames they are separated from the horizontal ledge 3l by spacer blocks 34 of different thicknesses. in Fig. 2, and may be independently secured to the base rim 3|, by screws 35.

'I'he base A centrally supports a heavy tubular 'standard 36, rigidly secured to the base portion 30 by bolts 31. Upon this standard is slidably mounted an annular frame or hub 38, to the peripheral surface of which is secured a circumferentially spaced series of bearing brackets 39, each of which has a horizontal recess in which operates a bearing block 40 (Fig. 12) pivoted in one arm of a bell-crank lever 4`| which operates the plate transfer mechanism subsequently to be described. It will be noted, with particular reference to Fig. 2, that the bearing brackets 39, there shown, are secured at different elevations, corresponding to the respective elevations of the associated frames 33, and this is of course also true with respect to the brackets and frames not shown, which as explained arearranged at progressively graduated levels around the entire machine.

While the frame 38 is free to reciprocate vertically, in order to simultaneously actuate all of the plate feed mechanisms, it cannot rotate or oscillate about the standard due to the device shown in Fig. '1 which comprises a pair of spaced guide members 42, secured to base A, forming a guide Way for block 43, secured to the hub 38.

'I'he hub 38 is reciprocated vertically through the action of a connecting rod 44 the lower end of Which engages a pin 45 extending diametrically through the standard 36 and through vertical slots 46 inthe side walls thereof to anchor in opposite sides of the hub as clearly demonstrated in Figs. 2 and 6.

At its upper end the connecting rod 44 is pivoted, by pin 41, to one end of a lever 48 the opposite end of which is fulcrumed at 49 to and within a housing 50, of irregular form and rigidly secured upon the top end of the standar 36 by clamp bolt 5I and stud bolts 52.

The lever 48 is composed of two rigidly connected side parts between which is rotatably mounted a roller 53 (Figs. 9 and l0) A cam 54 operates under the roller to lift parts 48, 44 and 38, while an opDOsitely acting cam 55 actuates the roller 53 downwardly to produce a positive restoring motion to the same parts.

The cams are synchronously driven through gears 56 and 51 and an intermediate pinion 58. 'I'he gears 56 and 51 are preferably keyed on extended h ubs of the respective gears 54 and 55, and such hubs then xed on suitably journaled lower and upper shafts 59 and 60, while the pinion 58 has an integral shaft 6I journaled in the adjacent housing wall and extending exteriorly thereof to' support a spur gear 62. This gear 62 meshes with the driving pinion 63 (Figs. 1 and 8) of a motor 64 mounted on a suitable extension of housing casting 60. 4

Shaft 5S may extend a considerable distance from the housing 50 to operate conveyors or other auxiliary mechanisms (not shown), but im- Two of such blocks are shown mediately adjacent the housing is provided with a sprocket pinion 65 (Fig. 9) which operates through asprocket chain 66 to drive a pinion 61 .on a shaft 68, thesprocket pinions and chain beingl enclosed by a housing 69. It willbe noted, with particular reference to Figs. 4 and 5, that the pinion 61 is not secured directly on shaft 68 but has arcuate slots through which stud bolts 1| extend to adjustably secure the pinion to a block 12, xed on the shaft. The purpose of this arrangement is to permit of Asuch adjustments as may be necessary to synchronize inter mittent actuation of the magazine supported tur-4 ret with the plate feeding mechanisms.

The turretreferred to is a round cast plate 13 having a hub 14 mounted, with suitable antifriction bearings (Fig. 2) to rotate about and be supported on the standard 36. The plate is provided with radially spaced flanges forming an annular channel 15 in which is arranged a circumierentially spaced series of roller studs 16. These studs are engaged by a ange 11 extending from the cylindrical surface of a hub member 1B on shaft 68, the flange being of such width as to pass snugly between two adjacent rollers. One half of the length of the ange lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of shaft 68 with 'a result that during contact of this portion of the flange with the studs 16 there will be no movement of the turret, in fact this flange portion locks the turret against rotation. The other half of the ange, however, is spiraled about its tive grids.

portion of hub 18 with a result that when it makes a complete half-revolution contact with the studs 16 it will rotate or advance the turret sufficiently to move each plate receiving holder from` one supply station to another where it will remain until a plate is transferred, whereupon another complete rotation of shaft will advance the turret another step.

The shaft 68 and its hub 18 arejournaled in a housing 19 which is adjustably attached to an arm extension 8l) of housing 50. This connection comprises a pair of parallel flanges 8| which depend integrally from housing arm 80 to form an inverted shallow guide channel for the upper end of housing 19. The housing parts are rigidly secured together by a bolt 82 which extends through a slot 83 (in 80, Fig. 5), so that when the bolt is loosened the case 19 may be adjusted transversely with respect to arm 80. In order that this adjustment may be accurately made, to correctly align receiving shelves and supply stations, I provide an adjuster screw 84, as shown in Figs. l and 5. It will be understood that any adjustments so made will never be so great as to operatively disalign sprocket pinions 61 and 65.

To prevent the possibility of foreign matter dropping into the channel 15, which preferably contains oil to lubricate the rollers 16 and cam 11, I provide a circular cover plate '85 over` the channel. As this plate cannot rotate with the turret, because of the position of unit 19, it is slightly spaced above the channel forming flanges (Fig. 2) andis carried by arms B6 extending radially outwardly from a supporting ring 81 removably mounted on the standard 36.

The plate collecting shelves or units, designated i generally by the letter C, are attached to. the peripheral edge portion of the turret plate 13 as by screws 88, and are designed as follows. Each unit is formed of heavy plate material into a horizontal shelf part 89which continues from its rear or inner edge in a vertical back wall 90 that vterminates at its upper edge in a mounting flange 3 9| to receive the screws 8l. The parts 89 and 90 are generally U-shaped, the cut out central portions being provided to permit the movement vtherethrough of certain parts of the plate transfer mechanisms; and these parts, 89 and 90, are laterally connected byside wall plates 92, to insure proper retention of the plates in the holders until the completed plate assemblies have been removed.

Mounted upon the outer ends of the frames 33 are the supply stations or plate magazines BI, B2, B3, B4, B5, etc., all of substantially the same construction except that slight adjustments are made to accommodate different size of plates and to properly retain the plates depending upon whether they are separators, or positive or nega- The number of stations in the present instance determines the maximum number of plates for a complete plate assembly, the machine being preferably designed to group plates for one of the larger size-batteries, but where smaller plate groups are to be assembled then a lesser number of stations are supplied and the others remain idle. In a broader aspect the invention also contemplates the possibility of arranging the stations in a. non-circular path and also of using comparatively few stations but takingA more than one plate from eachA station for each assembly as here'illustrated.

In the present arrangement, and for purpose of illustration, the first station, BI, contains a stack of negative plates N, the lugs L2 thereof being disposed at the right, as seen in Fig. 1. The second station, B2, holds a stack of separators S with the ribbed faces thereof all turned up. Station B3 then holds a stack of positive plates, P, the lugs L| all being on the left. Station B4, next in sequence, then contains a stack of separators S, with the ribbed Ofaces all turned down. 'I'he next series of stations. B5, B6, B1, and B8 merely duplicate the arrangement described for stations B|-B4, and thereafter the stated sequence is repeated all the way around the machine.` As the plates are successively transferred from the stations to the holders C it `will thus be seen that they will accumulate in the holders in the correct order and arrangement which they will properly assume in the completed battery.` As the plates are transferred from the bottoms of each supply station stack to the assembly shelves they will of course build up in the holders, gradually increasing the heights of the piles therein, and it is for this reason, and because the holders'C always operate at the same elevation, that it is necessary to successively elevate the frames 83, by the blocks 34, previously described.

'I'he stations B proper each consists of a series of spaced bars 93 forming a bottom support for the stack of plates to be held, these bars being suitably supported at theirinner and outer ends and having smooth upper surfaces upon which the' plates may slide when stripped from the under side of the stack. The stacks are laterally restrained by side wall plates`94 secured to frame 33 as at 95. Upon their opposed faces and near their inner ends the plates 94 have vertical bars- 96 which carry a guide gate 91 composed of side bars 98 and a bottom cross bar 99. The gate is secured in place by set screws |06, which,` when `loosened, permit vertical adjustments of the gate within the limits determined by keys |0| secured to bars 96 and extending into recesses |02 in the gate bars 88. The purpose of such adjustments is to regulate the size of opening between the bar 99 and bars 93 as required to accommodate grid f plates and separators of different thicknesses such as used in diiferent types of batteries. It will also be noted that the gate bar 99 carries a nat shoe |03, extending forwardly thereof and has for its purpose to hold the stripped plate or separator down until engaged by a gripping device which completes the transfer operation. This shoe will, of course, also be vertically regulated with adjustments to thegate. It will thus be seen that the gate 91 acts as a restraining and positioning member at the inner or forward face of the plate stack, and also operates to restrict the removal of plates from the bottom of the stack to one at a time.

To hold the stack in forward position against the gate 91 I provide the side walls 94 with separate guide brackets |04 which engage the outer end edges of the stacked plates. These brackets are adjustably secured by bolts |05 passing .through horizontal slots |06, and guide keys |01 insure retention of the brackets in proper vertical positions. 'I'he slots |06 are sufciently long to permit substantial horizontal adjustments of the brackets, and are also separately adjustable in each station so that when necessary, as indicated with stations BI, B3, and B5, one bracket may have normal guiding contact with one edge of the plate proper while the other is moved out to guide against the plate lugs LI or L2.

The plate transferring mechanism will now be described and includes the primary actuating lever 4I, which, as previously noted, is intermittently oscillated through action of the hub 38, rod 44 and power driven cam devices in housing 50.

The stripper device is actuated by the lever 4I through a connecting rod |08 the lower and outer end of which attaches to the depending arm |09 of a lever having an upper arm III), and is fulcrumed to frame 33 at III. The arms |09 and |I normally oscillate together as a single unit, but may be relatively moved in connection with an overload safety shut-oifdevice presently to be described. s

At its upper end the lever arm |I0 connects with a link member ||2 having a longitudinal guide slot I I 3 in which is slidably secured a bearing block H4. slot I I3, to accommodate different height lengths of plates and separators, is effected by a set screw I I 5 which is threaded in one end of the link and has a head III:` rotatably secured in a recess in the block.

The block I |4 serves as a bearing for a pin of a dog lever` ||8 which is fulcrumed at ||9 in a stripper carriage |20 which is slidably secured in lateral guide-ways |2| in the frame (33) walls below the supply station. The member 0 has a series of `lingers |22 which travel between the spaced bars 9,3 and are arranged to extend slight-k ly thereabove, as shown in Figs. 18, 22, 26 and 27, when moved forwardly to engage the lowermost plate of the stack and by so-called stripping action advance it inwardly toward the shelf support A, as best shown in Fig.` 18. 'I'he maximum elevation of the fingers |22 is determined and adjusted by a stop screw |23, having a lock nut |24, the screw being threaded in and extending through a lower arm |25 of the lever I|8 to stop against a depending leg |26 of the carriage |20. When the lever arm |I0 moves outwardly, to return the stripper unit to plate engaging position the arrangement of pivots and resistance of the carriage |20 is such as to cause the fingers |22 to drop suiliciently to pass under the plate stack, as

Adjustment of the block ||4 in` shown in Fig. 19, the lever |I8 in this event rest# ing on the abutment |21 of carriage |20.

As a stripped plate is moved by the flngers |22 into the position shown in Fig, 18 it is engaged by a reciprocating gripper mechanism which completes the delivery of the plate to the receiving shelf A disposed in radial alignment with the supply station. This mechanism will now be described.

At its upper extremity the vertical arm of the bell-crank lever 4| is connected by a link |28 to a carriage |29, the side edge portions'of which slidably guide in opposed channels |30 formed in the inner end portion of frame 33, this carriage operating on substantially the same level as bars 93. One of the channels is preferably defined by a removable strip |3| which is adjustable by screws |32 to take up wear.

The outer end of carriage |29 has a receiving plate |33, for engagement directly under the -leading edge portion ofthe grid or separator plate delivered by the stripper, as best shown in Fig. 18; and cooperating with the plate |33 to form a grip therewith is a roller |34 mounted in one end of a link |35 which is attached to the carriage |29 as by pin |36. A spring |35 is arranged to create down pressure on the roller |34, and the tension of the spring can be regulated as at I 38. Downward movement of the roller link |35 is checked by an adjustable stop screw |39 (Fig. 17), which is threaded into link |35 with its head having stopping contact with an extension arm of part |29.

The stripping and transferring mechanisms thus far described are common to all of the station assemblies, whether containing grid plates or separator plates. In the units containing grid plate stacks, however, an additional mechanism is added to slightly change the operation. One of such mechanisms is illustrated in Figs. 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, and may be described as follows.

Fulcrumed to the frame 33 is a multiple-armed lever frame including a fulcrum pin I 40, a pair of laterally disposed stop arms I 4| a lift arm I 42, and a pressure arm I 43 adjustably connected to the frame 33 by a tension spring |44 which operates to yieldingly hold the stop arms I 4| down. It will be noted that the previously described pin |36 is extended at one end so that as it is moved rearwardly it will engage and tilt the arm |42 and thus raise the stop arms I4I, as indicated in Figs. 12, 15, 16 and 17. It will also be seen that when the stop arms |4I are not down in engagement with a plate group in a holder C (as in Figs. 18-19) the downward movement of such arms is limited by the ends of a pin |45 fixed in an adjacent part of the frame 33.

'I'he purpose of the stop arms |4| is to stop the movement of the grid plates before they reach the bars of shelf frame C, so that they will not project in as far as will the separator plates, the transfer mechanisms of which do notvhave the devices I 40-I 45; and the reason for hinging and operating the lever frame I 4|-I42|43 in the manner indicated is to permit the arms I4| to be swung well back, when released from plate assembly, so that the receiving holders-C can move freely through the circular arrangement of frame openings |46.

In the operation of any battery plate handling machinery it is found that an oversize, distorted,

or otherwise irregular plate will occasionally find.

the

have designed an automatic safety mechanism which will not only shut oil the power to the machine butwill accurately indicate just where the Jam has occurred. In explaining this mechanism particular reference is made to Figs. 12 and 26. i

As previously mentioned lever arms |09 and normally cillate about pivot as a single unit. 'Ihis is due to the factthat a'heavy ten# sion spring |41 tends to yieldlngly hold a rigid extension |48 of arm |09 in contact withl an Y crease the spring tension because as the gap between parts |48|49 increases the spring will approach a dead center-position with respect to lever fulcrum A The overload release further inclues a signal circuit and electric motor control comprising a switch lever |5| pivoted to lever arm H0, as at |52. This lever is arranged to make contact with an insulated screw |53 rigidly secured with respect to arm ||0and a vspring |54 tends to close and maintain the contact. Such contact is normally prevented, however, by reason of the fact that the contact lever has an abutment |55 which stops against arm extension |48, and when that extension' is in its usual operating contact with abutment |48 it also engages the abutment |55 to break contact at |5| and |53.

The circuit arrangement diagrammatically illustrated shows the contact lever |5| grounded at |56, while contact screw |53 has wire connection |51 to one side of a signal light |58, and has an extension |59 connected to a relay |80.- The other pole of the relay isconnected by wire |8| to light bulb |58 and to a transformer |82 grounded at |63. Transformer supply wires |64 also supply the' circuit |85 to motor 64, such circuit including the normally closed relay |80. When contact is now made between elements |5| and |53, under the contingency above described, the circuits will be' closed to light the signal |58 and to energize the relay` |80 to break the malin motor circuit |65. This will in turn idle the entire machine while the signal 58, of which there is one for each supply station B, will remain ensome manual adjustment in sequence, and thismay be done either by initially adding or removing plates from certain holders. Thus thev first plates transferred from stations B2, B8 and B4, and B8, B1, and B8, to the adjacent holders C may be removed, so that each plate assembly shelf will start fresh from a station suchas BI, B5, and B9, or,` in the alternative, the intermediate holders B2, B3, etc., may be manually started with negative plates, separators, etc., so,`

that all holders will have stacks bottomed on negative plates.

vIn any event when the initial plate adjustments are thus made the motor circuit is closed. whereupon, each transfer mechanism ls actuated to transferone plate or one separator to its adjacent holder. In other words, each stripper mechanism ejects the lowermost' plate from its supply station and advances -it inwardly until it is engaged by the associated gripper device |33|34, which then continues the transfer action until the plate contacts the stop arms |4I,

whereupon the gripper continuesits movement v and thus releases the plate so that it may drop down into the holder C. Where separator plates are being transferred no stop dogs |4| are pres- .ent, with a result that such plates are not released until they contact the rear wall bars 90, thereby offsetting them with respect to the grid plates as shown in Figs. 18, 19, and 28, with the advantage above set forth.

After a plate has thus been transferred from each supply station to its adjacent holder, and the stop levers |4| have been raised (Figs. 2, 12' and 16) to give clearance to the holders C, the cam 11 goes into action torotate the turret i3 one step, thus advancing each holder to the next station, whereupon the transfer operation again takes place, and the process is continued until each holder has aicomplete plate group assembly. When. the filled holders reach the vacant space shown at the top of Fig. 1, the complete plate assembly is removed therefrom by hand or by a conveyor mechanism (not shown) preferably actuated by the power take off shaft 59.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, proergized so that the operator can quickly locate the trouble. When the dimculty has been corwith the machine idle the magazines orsupply stations BI, B2, B3, etc., are stocked with positive grid plates, negative grid plates, and separator plates in the order indicated in Fie. 1. 'I'he number of magazines so stocked will depend entirely upon the size of battery for which the plate group assemblies are to be used. As itis necesl sary to have negative grid plates at both ends of the plate groups it will be necessary to make vided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my. invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

vl. A battery plate assembling machine comprising a series of magazines for respectively containing supplies of positive grid plates, negative grid plates, and separator plates, a series of holders. a continuously operating element for effecting step-by-step movements of one of said series relative to the other series to sequentially place the magazines and holders in registry for transfer of the plates from the magazines to the holders, and means for successively projecting the plates from the magazines towards the respective holders and means for transferring the projected plates to the holders in the order in which such positive, negative, and separator plates occur in a battery.

2. In a battery plate grouping machine, separate means for supporting separate supplies of positive grid plates, negative grid plates, and separator plates, a plate receiving device, a continu- `ously operating element for effecting step-bystep movements of the plate-receiving device to sequentially place the same in registry with the separate plate supporting means, means for projecting the plates towards the receiving device and means for transferring the projected plates to the plate supporting means so that the positive grid plates will be alternated with negative grid plates and one separator plate will be placed between each two adjacent grid plates, and with the separator plates of each adjacent pair having their corresponding face surfaces reversed with respect to each other.

3. A battery plate assembling machine comprising a series of magazines for respectively containing supplies of positive grid plates, negative grid plates, and separator plates, a plate accumulating device movable progressively from one magazine to another so as to receive plates therefrom in the sequence in which said positive, negative and separator plates occur in a battery, a cam element cooperating with the plate accumulating device and fashioned to effect the progressive movement and to hold the device at rest when registering with a magazine, means to effect projection of the plates from the magazines towards the accumulating device and means for transferring the projected plates to the accumulating device.

4. A battery plate assembling machine, comprising a series of stations adapted to respectively contain stacks of grid plates and separator plates, a receiving support intermittently movable in a path adjacent said stations, and means associated with each station for successively projecting one plate therefrom as the receiving support momentarily stops adjacent to a station and means associated with the receiving support for gripping and moving the projected plate onto the support.

5. A battery plate assembling machine, comprising a series o/f stations adapted to respectively contain stacks of grid plates and separator plates, a receiving support movable in a path adjacent the stations, means for projecting plates from the stations toward said path, and means operated from the far side of the Path, with respect to the stations, for taking the plates from said projecting means and completing the movements of the plates into the receiving support when it reaches a position in said path adjacent each station.

6. A battery plate assembling machine, comprising a series of stations adapted to respectively contain stacks of grid plates and separator plates, means cooperating with each station for stripping the bottom plate from the stack and projecting such plate edgewise from the station, a series of holders movable in a path adjacent the stations, such path being substantially at right angles to the direction in which the plate is projected from the station, and means located at the other side of the path for transferring the projected plate of each station to one of the holders, the grid plate and separator plate stations being alternated so that one separator plate will be transferred to each holder between each two grid plates received by such holder.

'7. A battery plate assembling machine comprising a circular series of supply stations for alternately containing respective supplies of grid plates and separator plates, a circular series of receiving stations arranged adjacent to the supply stations, means for transferring one plate from the bottom of the supply in each supply station to one of the receiving stations, and means for rotating one of said series of stations with respect to the other series, whereby grid plates and separator plates may be alternately transferred from the successive supply stations to each of the receiving stations, the stations of one of the series all being disposed in a common horizontal plane, and the stations of the other series being disposed at progressively -different levels to thereby compensate for the accumulation of plates in the receiving stations.

8. In a battery plate assembling machine, a base, an annular series of plate supply stations supported by the base, a standard extending upwardly from the base, a turret rotatably supported by the standard, a series of receiving stations carried by the turret, a hub member slidably mounted on the standard, and transfer mechanisms, operated by vertical movement of said hub member, for transferring plates from the supply stations to the receiving stations.

9. In a battery plate grouping machine, a series of supply stations and a series of receiving stations arranged to successively receive plates from the supply stations, said supply stations each comprising a plate stack support and vertical guide members for guiding action with all four sides of the plate stack, and said guide members including two relatively adjustable guide elements for contact with one vertical face of the stack, whereby the supply station may be adjusted to accommodate grid plates with lugs disposed at either side of the stack, or separator plates having no lugs.

10. In a battery plate assembling machine, a plate-receiving device, means for feeding positive grid plates to said device, means for feeding negatlve grid plates to said device and means for feeding separator plates to said device, means for operating said feed means so that the several plates are fed edgewise in succession into'said receiving device in the order in which said plates appear in a battery, means associated with said receiving device successively projectable into the path of movement of certain of said plates as they enter said device for limiting their movement and thereby offsetting them with respect to other of said plates in said device, operating means for so moving said projectable means and means for coordinating the movements of said feed operating means and said last mentioned operating means. 1

11. In a battery plate assembling machine, a plate-receiving device, means for feeding positive grid plates to said device, means for feeding negative grid plates to said device and means for feeding separator plates to said device, means for operating said feed means so that the several plates are fed edgewise in succession into said receiving device-in the order in which said plates appear in a battery, means associated with said receiving device successively projectable into the path of movement of certain of said plates as they enter said device for limiting their movement and thereby offsetting them with respect to other of said plates in said device, operating means for so moving said projectable means and means for coordinating the movements of said feed operating means and said last mentioned operating means, said plate-receiving device including a shelf having vertical guide members at three sides to enclose the plate group to be formed, and open at its fourth side to permit edgewise movements of plates into group position on the shelf.

ARTHUR D. LUND. 

